NASA is interested in taking aerial photos in a stealth manner, without risking human life. Because loud aircraft would cause problems, rotorcraft, airplanes, and other motorized vehicles are out of the question! The best non-manned vehicle that can take aerial photos is a kite. It is your mission to develop a kite that can:

• hold a camera that can take pictures at low altitude
• fly in non-inclement weather
• be flown in wind conditions ranging from 6 to 20 miles per hour
• be constructed using only supplies supplied by your teacher or on the list in the resource packet

In this project, you will:

• research what is already known about kite history and aerodynamics
• design a kite and create a blueprint of it
• construct the kite
• test the kite for balance and a trait affecting lift and drag
• quantify aerodynamic force vectors
• determine height of kites using trigonometry

Follow the "Steps to Completion" (see the resource list) to help get you started! At left is an example of an aerial photo taken with a kite by NASA researchers.

Resource List

You Decide Intro